Fabian Klos

Fabian Klos
Klos with Arminia Bielefeld in 2013
Personal information
Date of birth (1987-12-02) 2 December 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Gifhorn, West Germany
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2007 SV Meinersen
2007–2009 MTV Gifhorn 58 (49)
2009–2011 VfL Wolfsburg II 65 (22)
2011–2024 Arminia Bielefeld 381 (146)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Fabian Klos (born 2 December 1987) is a German former professional footballer who played as a forward.[1]

Career

Born in Gifhorn, Klos was a prolific goalscorer in amateur football in Lower Saxony.

In 2009, he joined VfL Wolfsburg II spending two years in the Regionalliga Nord.

In 2011, he signed for Arminia Bielefeld of the 3. Liga alongside team-mate Maximilian Ahlschwede, and made his debut on the opening day of the 2011–12 season, as a substitute for Johannes Rahn in a 2–1 defeat against VfB Stuttgart II. He scored ten goals in his first season with Bielefeld, and was named as 3. Liga player of the year. He scored 20 goals in the 2012–13 season, finishing as joint top-scorer of the 3. Liga, along with Chemnitzer FC's Anton Fink, as Bielefeld were promoted to the 2. Bundesliga as runners-up.

In October 2013, he suffered a concussion during a match, but returned to the pitch after one and half month. After the season his team got relegated to the 3. Liga again. In spite of offers from some 2. Bundesliga sides, Klos stayed with Arminia. He became the team's captain and - for the second time - the league's top-scorer. Arminia returned to the 2. Bundesliga, where they would stay for five seasons.

After Jeff Saibene had become Arminia's manager, Klos started many games on the bench. Dynamo Dresden was already interested in him after the 2016-17 season, but he decided to improve his fitness and to fight to become a part of the starting XI again. Nevertheless, Julian Börner was elected captain for the 2017-18 season.

In April 2018 he becomes Arminia Bielefeld's all-time top-scorer.[2] In 2019, he became the team's captain again. Furthermore, he was the league's top-scorer in the 2019-20 season, scoring 21 goals. Thus, Arminia got promoted to the Bundesliga.

He scored his first goal on 28 November at RB Leipzig away. In fact, he played every match in the 2020–21 season. In February 2022, the club and him had already agreed to let his contract expire after the 2021–22 season.[3] But in April, he suffered a serious head injury and had to end the season.[4] Thus - and perhaps because the relegation to the 2. Bundesliga was already foreseeable - he decided to stay.[5]

Klos retired from playing at the end of the 2023–24 season.[6]

Career statistics

As of 10 July 2023[7]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
VfL Wolfsburg II 2009–10 Regionalliga Nord 32 9 — — 32 9
2010–11 Regionalliga Nord 33 13 — — 33 13
Total 65 22 — — 65 22
Arminia Bielefeld 2011–12 3. Liga 33 10 1 0 — 34 10
2012–13 3. Liga 33 20 2 0 — 35 20
2013–14 2. Bundesliga 29 9 2 0 2[a] 0 33 9
2014–15 3. Liga 35 23 5 1 — 40 24
2015–16 2. Bundesliga 32 12 1 0 — 33 12
2016–17 2. Bundesliga 33 13 4 2 — 37 15
2017–18 2. Bundesliga 33 7 1 1 — 34 8
2018–19 2. Bundesliga 33 17 2 0 — 35 17
2019–20 2. Bundesliga 33 21 2 1 — 35 22
2020–21 Bundesliga 34 5 1 0 — 35 5
2021–22 Bundesliga 25 3 2 2 — 27 5
2022–23 2. Bundesliga 28 6 1 2 2[a] 1 31 9
2023–24 3. Liga 36 9 2 0 3 0 41 9
Total 381 146 24 9 4 1 409 156
Career total 446 168 24 9 4 1 474 178
  1. ^ a b Appearances in 2. Bundesliga relegation play-offs

References

  1. ^ Fabian Klos at kicker (in German)
  2. ^ "Fabian Klos: "For some reason, I have always liked HSV"". hsv.de. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Arminia Bielefeld bestätigt: Rekordtorschütze verlässt Bundesliga-Klub am Saisonende" (in German). sportbuzzer.de. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  4. ^ ""Schwere Kopfverletzung": Arminia Bielefeld gibt Update nach Schockmoment um Fabian Klos" (in German). sportbuzzer.de. 3 April 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  5. ^ "»Unser Stadion liegend auf einer Trage verlassen – das kann's nicht sein«" (in German). Der Spiegel. 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Fabian Klos beendet im Sommer seine aktive Karriere" [Fabian Klos ends his active career in the summer] (in German). Arminia Bielefeld. 12 January 2024. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  7. ^ Fabian Klos at Soccerway


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